to humble or criticize someone to make them feel less important
example
She needed to be cut down to size after acting so arrogant.
word origin — From the 1800s — used the metaphor of physically cutting an oversized object back to its proper smaller dimensions.
Idioms — Set 57
Set 57 of Idioms covers 5 idioms: cut someone down to size, call someone's bluff, spill the tea, get under someone’s skin, put all your cards on the table. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
cut someone down to size · idiom/kʌt ˈsʌmwʌn daʊn tu saɪz/
to humble or criticize someone to make them feel less important
She needed to be cut down to size after acting so arrogant.
Origin: From the 1800s — used the metaphor of physically cutting an oversized object back to its proper smaller dimensions.
call someone's bluff · idiom/kɔl ˈsʌmwʌnz blʌf/
to challenge someone to prove what they say is true
I don’t think he’s serious; I’m calling his bluff.
Origin: From poker — calling someone's bluff means matching their bet, forcing them to reveal their actual cards.
spill the tea · idiom/spɪl ðə ti/
to share gossip or confidential information
She always spills the tea about what’s happening in the office.
Origin: A 1990s African American expression — 'tea' meant gossip, so spilling it meant sharing juicy news quickly.
get under someone’s skin · idiom/ɡɛt ˈʌndɚ ˈsʌmwʌnz skɪn/
to irritate or annoy someone deeply
His arrogant attitude really gets under my skin.
Origin: From the 1800s — describes irritation so deep it feels like an itch beneath the skin that you can't reach.
put all your cards on the table · idiom/pʊt ɔl jʊr kɑrdz ɔn ðə ˈteɪbəl/
to be completely honest about one’s thoughts or plans
Let’s put all our cards on the table and be honest about our plans.
Origin: From poker — laying every card face up on the table means hiding nothing and being completely honest.